Bhai Vir Singh.pdf - Vidhia.com

Father of Modem Punjabi Literature / 45
Born Ram :La!. sonof a Hindu Khatri family ofLahore, Bijay
Singh, moved by the gallant deeds of the Sikhs, took their
baptism and thus received his new name and faith. This
angered the father and caused anxiety to the entire family. He
hadto quit home alongwithhis wife SushilKaur andsix-yearold
sonWaryam Singh. In the jungle which was the only safe
asylum for a member of the rebel group to which he now
belonged, he was spied upon by the family priest The first
party of soldiers that came to capture him was repulsed, but
Bijay Singh and his family were overpoweredl at the second
attempt. Theywere putunderarrest andpresentedbeforethe
Nawab who ordered Bijay Singh to be sent to prison and his
wife and son to his palace.
Every effort was made to convert Bijay Singh to Islam and
persuade Sushi! Kaur to enterthe Nawab's harem, butall to no
purpose. The former was eventuallyreleased from custodyon
the intercession of a Muslim sufi Sabir Shah; the latter along
with hersonwas sentto a detention camp inLahore. She was
saved the extreme penalty, which was the usual fate of all
those condemned to that cell, by the personal intervention of
theprovincialgovernorMirMannu. The governorwasdesirous
ofmarryingher, butshewasprotectedbyhis'WifeMuradBegum,
herself a historical character of considerable consequence.
Upon her husband's death in an action against the Sikhs, she
assumed powerin Lahore and secured confirmation of it from
Ahmed Shah Durrani. According to the story in the novel, her
accession to the governorship of the province was owed to a
blessing pronounced by Sushil Kaur in gratefulness.
Wounded in battle, Bijay Singh again fell into captivity
andwas escorted to Lahore. Here Murad Begum lost her heart
to him. She intrigued and had Sushil Kaur and her son
imprisoned. Theywere to be cast into the rivelr and finally got
rid of, buttheywere left at some distance from the fort bythe
servantassuredthattheywereno more thannl\To deadbodies.
The spyBijla Singh, whohappenedto bearound, pickedthem
inthatstateandcarriedthemto SardarKarora Singh'sJatha to
which Bijay Singh himself belonged. The mother and child
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